


I Wish You'd Stay

by DeanRH



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 15x18 coda, Coda, Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27576062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeanRH/pseuds/DeanRH
Summary: Dean sees Castiel again in a place he least expects it.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51





	I Wish You'd Stay

_Leavin's what you're good at, Dean Winchester._

Dean coughed around the blood in his mouth.

"No no no," said Sam, clutching his brother tight. "You can't, Dean, not now, not when we just got out!"

"Them's the breaks, Sammy," said Dean.

And, because he knew where he was headed:

"I love you."

"Dean!" Sam shouted.

Then, just as the world went black:

"I love you too."

***

_Dean had to say, he certainly hadn't expected it._

_Routine vampire hunt. Everyday stuff._

_Bam! Gone._

_Guess that's what it meant to not be God's favorite characters anymore. Enough hunters bit it on routine hunts, if they were just a fraction too slow or the bad guy was a fraction too fast -_

_Dean's number was up._

_Jack was hands-off._

_Mostly, Dean felt bad for Sam._

_He floated alone, in the darkness, and wondered about heaven and hell._

***

"Hello, Dean."

Dean startled. 

He hadn't heard that voice -

well.

in a while, unless you counted calling his phone over and over again while drunk just to hear Castiel speak one last time.

Inasmuch as he could, Dean turned around.

There he was, larger than life, this time wearing a long black trenchcoat.

Beside him stood a scythe.

"Cas, are you - " Dean cleared his throat, although there was nothing there to clear.

"Death, yes," said Castiel. "After Lucifer killed Betty, the scythe went to the next available angel."

"Angel? Not reaper?"

"Reapers are a type of angel," said Castiel. "I suppose - well, perhaps Jack thought it fitting."

"Are you here to take me to heaven?"

Castiel shook his head.

"Not unless you want to," he said. "I'm here to offer you a job."

"A job?" asked Dean.

"Work with me," said Castiel. "Let's do this together. Neither of us are strangers to death, and you've had on the job experience before."

"About - about what you said," Dean told him. "Back there. I just - _just_ got to say it to Sam for the first time, so I gotta get it out. Cas, I'm in love with you too. Been in love for a long time, hell, I can't even remember - anyway. I had to say it. Now if you'd rather kick me to the curb, go ahead, because if you want me to work with you, I got news for you, buddy: this is a forever kinda deal with me, you got that?"

A smile crossed Castiel's features.

He reached out a hand to cup Dean's face. Dean leaned into it, almost involuntarily.

"Oh, Dean," sighed Castiel. "Now I want it even more."

"One thing, before we go," said Dean. "Sam, is he gonna be - will he be okay?"

Castiel nodded.

"We will reap him, one day," said Cas. "And he may join us, if he so chooses. His empathy and kindness would be welcome in this job."

"Okay," said Dean, and he put his hand in Castiel's. "Then I'm ready."

***

Many years later, after Sam had lived a good long life, he was reunited with Dean and Castiel.

And of course, he chose to join them.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from song "I Wish You'd Stay" by Brad Paisley.


End file.
